Page:EB1922 - Volume 30.djvu/453

shortly after the work was finished (not so serious, however, as the original one), and the buildings were quite unaffected.

The barracks were rapidly erected. Although all the materials, except the roof-covering and the ballast for the concrete, were sent from England, the troops were in occupation of their new quarters in Nov. 1907, ten months after the earthquake, and

FIG. 2.

FIG. 3.

FIG. 4.

the universal opinion was expressed that the new barracks which cos t 7 7 1 000 were a great improvement in comfort and conven- ience on the old ones which had cost, in days when building was relatively cheap, 95,000.

So far, then, the principle of light construction had been justi- fied, but it did not follow that a type which was suitable to a hot climate like that of the West Indies would be equally ap- plicable to Great Britain. At that time, however (1908), a small barrack was urgently required at Bordon, near Aldershot, for a field company of R.E., 150 men, with some accessory buildings such as sergeants' mess, recreation rooms, stables, etc., the estimated cost of which in " permanent " construction was 16,000; in " light construction " the estimate was 9,000, and this sum was sanctioned, and the work was carried out within the time estimate.

-i I r--!"-r-^W"==" l g3| p-i-j^T-ir"! r j

EE .33 Q

1

FIG. 6.

The plan of this building, shown in figs. 5 and 6, shows the same principles, formerly described, of 10-12 men in one room, with ablution room, etc., in close proximity, with a room for one N.C.O. between two barrack rooms, and with a company store under the same roof. The walls were built, between steel stanchions, of brick 5 in. thick, rendered with ordinary plaster inside, and rough cast outside, the steel stanchions carrying the weight of roof, windows,

etc. It was found that the building was warm and airy, and that the cost of maintenance was at least not greater than would have been the case with permanent construction. While the saving in cost lay mainly in walls and foundations, endeavour was made at the same time, by using some of the modern types of light roof-covering, to effect saving in the roof timbers. With all these economies in design there was a substantial reduction in cost, especially in the case of those military buildings where the walls and roof formed a large part of the whole. Thus stables, which had formerly cost about

FIG. 7.

FIG. 8.

60 per horse, were built on the new principle for about 32-^5, without any reduction of efficiency. Figs. 7 and 8 show the exterior and interior of such a stable and indicate the general style of building. A large riding-school built at NeCheravon, Salisbury Plain, which was constructed on the " light-construction " principle, cost less than 2d. per cub. ft. as against 6d. to 7d. for a riding-school on the " permanent " principle. This is no doubt the most conspicuous example of saving in relative cost, as the building consists' of little else than walls and roof.

Barracks on thk principle, some of them double-storeyed, were built with satisfactory results at places as far distant from one another as Jersey, Worcester and Glasgow.

Another administrative change about this period also affected the design of important accessory buildings. Up to about 1909 it was laid down that the regimental institute (coffee bar, recreation room, etc.) should be separate from the " wet " canteen, used for malt liquor only, and also from the dining-rooms. In 1909, however. it was decided that, in any new construction, the wet canteen should be abolished, being replaced by a liquor bar in the institute, that there should be no restriction to the moderate use of malt liquor in con- nection with food, but that there should be no place for the sale of liquor only. The effect of this amalgamation of the institute and canteen was extended, where circumstances made it possible, to the amalgamation of the dining-rooms and supper bar, the men thus having all their meals served in the same room but with separate kitchens, one dealing with the regulation rations, and the other with the varied forms of refreshment purchased by the soldier voluntarily. This new departure was first embodied in the R.E. barracks at Bordon, and there found to be so satisfactory that it was followed in the new barracks at St. Peters, Jersey, where the combined dining and recreation rooms were made overlooking a cricket ground, with a large veranda forming a pleasant position for spectators of the game. It was possible, by the economies afforded by the light con- struction principle, to give these improvements without excessive